Game.



PATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

F. M. GREEK.

GAME.

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FRANKLIN M. GREER, OF WINONA, MINNESOTA.

GAME

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed February 6, 1906, Serial No. 299,804. Renewed December 3, 1906. Serial No. 346,166.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN M. GREEK, of Winona, Winona county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a game apparatus and particularly to one of the bowling alley type, and the object of my invention is to provide a game which will require considerable skill in playing, and will aflord recreation and amusement for a number of people.

The invention consists, generally, in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the game embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of one end of the game apparatus showing the position of the revolving counters or targets thereon. Fig. 3 is a detail view looking toward the rear of the wheel whereon the counters are mounted. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the devices for returning the counters to their normal position.

In the drawing, 2 represents the floor or way of the game ap aratus supported in a suitable frame 3 an having gutters 4 on each side corresponding substantially to those of an ordinary bowling alley. The floor may be of any suitable width and length according to the space where the game is to be used, and at one end a frame 5 is provided whereon'a horizontal shaft 6 is mounted and provided with adriven pulley 7. Any suitable means may be employed for operat ing this shaft, such as a small electric motor which will operate the shaft and its connections at the desired speed. This source of power forming no part of my invention I ave not thought necessary to illustrate it herein. The shaft 6 is hollow and mounted thereon at one end is a wheel 8 having series of targets 9 hinged thereon and adapted to swin backward out of the plane of the whee The wheel overhangs one end of the floor 2, and the floor is curved preferably at that end to conform to the periphery of the wheel, so that when a ball is rolled down the floor it will be directed thereby a ainst one of'the targets. The tar ets are he (1 in their normal position in the p ane of the wheel by means of s rings 10 which connect each target with t e wheel, and normally tend to hold it in the lane of the wheel, as indicated in Fig. 4, until the target is struck by the ball and moved backward a sufficient distance for the spring to move past the pivot of the hinge on which the target is mounted. When this has been done, the power of the spring will be exerted to draw the target backward and hold it in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4. Each target will bear a suitable number or mark, and as the wheel revolves the persons playing the game will roll or throw the ball down over the floor and try to strike a target bearing a certain number. Each target that is struckwill count so much in the game for the person throwing the ball, and those playing will endeavor, of course, to hit those targets that count the most in the game. The wheel will be revolving during the progress of the game, and a considerable amount of skill and ractice will be required to strike the desire target. Each target as it is struck by the ball will swing backward to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, and the ball passing beneath the wheel will roll off the floor into the pocket 11, having an inclined floor or bottom 12, which will direct the ball to a forwardly inclined trough 13 extending to the opposite end of the alley. The balls will thus be returned to the players as fast as they are thrown.

In a game of this kind it is desirable to provide some means for re-setting the targets. I therefore provide a rod 14 slidable in the hollow shaft 6 and connected with a' sleeve 15 by means of a screw 16 extending through a slot 17 in the shaft 6. A series of bell crank levers 18 are pivoted on the wheel 8, and have forwardly turned arms 19 provided with antifriction rollers 20 which engage the targets. The bell crank levers are connected by links 21 with the sliding sleeve 15, so that when the said sleeve is moved back and forth on the shaft 6 by the reci rocation of the rod 14 the said levers wil be oscillated to return the targets to their normal position, should any of them be struck by a ball and swung out of the plane of the wheel 8. Normally the bell crank levers will be in the position shown in Fig. 4, where the arms 19 and the rollers 20 will be withdrawn from the targets to allow them to swing freely during the progress of the game.

Whenever desired, however, the bell crank levers are operated to re-set any target that may have been struck and swung out of alinement with its supporting wheel. There are as many of these bell crank levers as there are targets, and all of them will be operated simultaneously and, consequently, but one movement or operation will be necessary to set all of the targets when one person has finished playing.

For convenience in setting the targets I refer to provide a lever 22 mounted on the frame 5 and having a pivotal engagement with the rod 14 and normally held in position to Withdraw the bell crank levers from the targets by a spring 23. An operating lever 24 is mounted on the frame 3, and has a flexible connection 25 with the lever 22. 'Whenever desired, therefore, the player grasping the lever 24 can easily and quickly set any or all of the targets. The targets, instead of or in addition to the numbers or characters thereon, may be colored in various ways to render them distinctive and furnish an additional feature to the game. There may be any desired number of the targets, and their size may be varied and the speed of revolution of the wheel may be changed for the pur ose of rendering the game more difli cult. In fact, different speeds may be provided in connection with each game apparatus to adapt it for players of considerable experience and skill, or for those who have not been accustomed to it. The apparatus may be made in a portable form or permanently installed in the room or building where it is used.

I claim as my invention:

1. A game apparatus comprising a revolving wheel and a series of targets suitably numbered or marked, mounted on said wheel and adapted to revolve therewith, each target having a movement independent of its revolving movement with the other targets.

2. A game a paratuscomprising an alley, a series of revo ving targets provided at one end of said alley and operating in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of said alley, each target being suitably marked or numbered and having a movement independent of its revolving movement with all the other targets, substantially as described.

3. A game apparatus comprising an alley, a series of revolving targets arranged to operate in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the alley, each target being suitably marked or numbered and having a movement independent of its simultaneous movement with the other targets, and means for setting said targets in their normal position after such independent movement.

4. In a game apparatus comprising an alley, a wheel provided at one end thereof and operating in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the alley,'a series of targets provided on the periphery of said wheel and arranged to revolve therewith, each target being marked or numbered and capable of movement independent of all the other targets, substantially as described.

5. A game comprising a horizontal alley, a wheel provided at one end thereof and arranged to revolve in a vertical plane, a series of targets hinged on the periphery of said wheel andbearing suitable marks or numbers, means for holding said targets in alinement with said wheel but permitting them when struck to be swung out of the plane of the said wheel, substantially as described.

6. A game apparatus comprising an alley, a wheel provided at one end thereof and arranged to revolve in a vertical plane, a series of targets pivoted on the periphery of said wheel and suitably marked and adapted to swing backwardly when struck by a ball, springs arranged to hold said targets in their normal position or at the limit of their backward movement, and means operated from the forward end of the alley for returning all of said targets to their normal position, substantially as described.

7. A game apparatus comprising an alley, a wheel revolving in a vertical plane at one end thereof, a series of targets pivoted on the periphery of said wheel and suitably marked or numbered, a corresponding number of bell crank levers pivoted on said wheel and having arms arranged to engage said targets and move them forward to their normal position in the plane of said wheel, and means for operating said bell cranks.

8. A game apparatus comprising an alley, a wheel operating transversely with respect thereto, a series of targets carried by said wheel and suitably numbered or marked, and each target being arranged to be moved to an invisible position when struck by the game ball, substantially as described.

9. A game apparatus comprising an alley, a wheel operating transversely with respect thereto, a series of targets carried by said wheel and said targets having a movement independent of one another lengthwise of said alley, substantially as described.

1.0. A game apparatus com rising an alley, a wheel operating transverse y with respect thereto, a series of targets carried by said wheel and having a movement independently of one another lengthwise of said alley and means for setting said targets.

1 1. A game apparatus comprising an alley, a wheel arranged near one end of said alley, a series of targets pivotally supported on said wheel, the outer portions of said targets being near the surface of said alley and in the path of a ball thereon during a portion of the revolution of said wheel, and said targets swinging upwardly to an invisible when struck by a ball.

12. A game apparatus comprising an alley, and a series of targets arranged to revolve in a vertical plane at right angles substantially tosaid alley, said targets being pivposition otally supported with their outer portions near the surface of said alley in the path of a ball thereon during a portion of their revolution and adapted to swing to an invisible position when struck by the ball.

13. A game apparatus comprising-an alley and a series of targets suitably numbered or marked, operating transversely with respect to the alley, and each target having a movement inde endently of the other targets, the edges of said targets contacting with one another to form a continuous circular target surface, substantially as described.

14. A game apparatus comprising an alley and a series of pivoted revolvmg'targets supported above said alley in the path of a ball thereon, said targets swinging to an invisible position when struck by the ball, and means controlled at the opposite end of the alley for returning simultaneously all of the targets that have been operated, to their normal visible position.

15. A game apparatus comprising an alley, a series of targets arranged to revolve in a vertical plane above said alley and each target having a movement independently of its movement with the other targets and having its outer portion near the said alley during a portion of the revolution of said targets and in the path of a game ball thereon and adapted to swing to an invisible position when struck by the said ball, substantially as described.

16. A game apparatus comprising an alley, a series of targets suitably marked, arranged transversely of said alley and adapted to 17. A game apparatus comprising an alley,

a series of pivoted targets suitably marked and adapted to swing backwardly when struck by a ball, means for normally holding said targets in their advanced position and at the limit of their backward movement, and means for returning all of said targets to their normal operative position, substantially as described.

18. A game a aratus comprising an alley, a series of suita y marked or numbered pivoted targets, a corresponding number of bell crank levers having arms arranged to engage said targets and swing them forwardly to an operating position and said targets having means for holding them in a retracted position when struck by aball, substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of February, 1906.

' FRANKLIN M. GREER. Witnesses:

MAU'DE R. WHITE, W. J SMITH. 

